World Music Features

José FelicianoFew songs have become an instant Christmas classic as quickly as José Feliciano's ubiquitous "Feliz Navidad"— proof of how this gifted musician turned blindness into shining light and enchanted music lovers around the world with his compelling songcraft and tropical grooves. His most recent album, The Soundtrax Of My Life, reconfirms his universal appeal.By Diego Zerpa

JuanesJuanes is one of the most popular latin rock stars—and sex symbols—of the past 20 years, with an international reach that extends to the furthest corners of Asia. During a visit to a Miami studio, he explains to GR the musical direction and inspiration behind his highly anticipated new album La Vida Es Un Ratico.By Lissette Corsa

Roswell RuddAlthough he's a well-known jazz trombonist who has played with all the greats, Roswell Rudd's Malicool (with Toumani Diabate) has prompted people to sit up and take notice of his non-jazz work. Rudd continues to record with musicians from all over the globe, ranging from his Mongolian Buryat Band to the ensemble featured on his new cumbia/tango/merengue album, El Ispíritu Jibaro.By John Ephland

NawalCreating an acoustic roots-based fusion, Nawal's unique sound combines influences from her native Comoros islands (located in the Indian Ocean between Madagascar and Africa) and far beyond. Derek Beres checks in with this amazing new voice on the scene to talk about her unique backround and music. By Derek Beres

Luciana SouzaGenerally regarded as one of the most skilled vocalists working within the Brazilian and jazz idioms, the Grammy-nominated Luciana Souza is a fearless artist who has added a bossa nova lilt to the poems of Pablo Neruda and regularly performs in duos that match her with a long list of incomparable guitarists. Now she returns with a full band, putting her stamp on pop and rock classics.By Lissette Corsa

Gogol Bordello
Not many artists can claim to have invented a whole new genre, but Eugene Hutz and Gogol Bordello did just that, when their drunken, manic, Iggy Pop-meets-Taraf de Haidouks parties outgrew their Lower East Side origins and gave the world "Gypsy Punk." Now, nearly a decade later, a host of Balkan- and Gypsy-inspired rockers have sprung up in their wake, even as Hutz and company branch out into film and beyond.By Tom Pryor